Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Learning to change the rules of the game : institutional capacity for social learning in Helsingborg's climate change adaptation process

Svennefjord, Andreas LU (2015) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20151
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
Adapting to climate change impacts is crucial as changes due to climate change are already locked in
and will occur independently of reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies in climate
change adaptation literature have cited that social learning is beneficial for increasing adaptive
capacity. The capacity for social learning is governed by the degree of flexibility of the institutional
context of the climate change adaptation process. This study looks at the City of Helsingborg’s
climate change adaptation process and the institutional capacity for facilitating social learning to
increase adaptive capacity. Viewing climate change as a process unveils the interactions between
social, ecological and technical systems, a... (More)
Adapting to climate change impacts is crucial as changes due to climate change are already locked in
and will occur independently of reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies in climate
change adaptation literature have cited that social learning is beneficial for increasing adaptive
capacity. The capacity for social learning is governed by the degree of flexibility of the institutional
context of the climate change adaptation process. This study looks at the City of Helsingborg’s
climate change adaptation process and the institutional capacity for facilitating social learning to
increase adaptive capacity. Viewing climate change as a process unveils the interactions between
social, ecological and technical systems, a main tenant of sustainability science. This study finds that
the institutional conditions for social learning in Helsingborg came about as a direct result of a
flexible climate change adaptation plan pushed through by dedicated civil servants from the
Planning department. The reflexivity between learning and institutions is confirmed; allowing
institutional space for social learning creates a reinforcing loop which widens the institutional
capacity for learning. Double loop learning caused by disjuncture allowed for institutional change
that supports reflexivity. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Svennefjord, Andreas LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20151
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
social learning, institutional capacity, adaptive capacity, climate change adaptation, sustainability science
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2015:019
language
English
id
5474072
date added to LUP
2015-06-18 12:03:31
date last changed
2015-06-18 12:03:31
@misc{5474072,
  abstract     = {{Adapting to climate change impacts is crucial as changes due to climate change are already locked in
and will occur independently of reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies in climate
change adaptation literature have cited that social learning is beneficial for increasing adaptive
capacity. The capacity for social learning is governed by the degree of flexibility of the institutional
context of the climate change adaptation process. This study looks at the City of Helsingborg’s
climate change adaptation process and the institutional capacity for facilitating social learning to
increase adaptive capacity. Viewing climate change as a process unveils the interactions between
social, ecological and technical systems, a main tenant of sustainability science. This study finds that
the institutional conditions for social learning in Helsingborg came about as a direct result of a
flexible climate change adaptation plan pushed through by dedicated civil servants from the
Planning department. The reflexivity between learning and institutions is confirmed; allowing
institutional space for social learning creates a reinforcing loop which widens the institutional
capacity for learning. Double loop learning caused by disjuncture allowed for institutional change
that supports reflexivity.}},
  author       = {{Svennefjord, Andreas}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{Learning to change the rules of the game : institutional capacity for social learning in Helsingborg's climate change adaptation process}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}